The Journey
by PippaLikesYou
Summary: Starling Goldstead is driven by her ambition to be a rock star. But when things take a turn for the worst and Starling ends up on the streets, who could help her? Her two heroes, Gerard Way and Lyn-Z Way, that's who. No band romances involved. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

I've been walking for so long. I can feel the strain in my legs as they pull me down the path towards goodness-knows-where. They're trembling. _I'm trembling_. I struggle to walk in a straight line as I amble along.

The watch on my wrist beeps twice. I look down to check the time. It is midnight now. I look up at the night sky. The stars are only just visible under the orange glow of streetlights. I've always been fascinated by stars. I've never understood why, but I can just stare at them for hours on end.

Cars speed pass me and I can't help but wonder if anyone notices or cares when they see me staggering along. Maybe they thought I was a drunk? It was hard to believe for someone of my age. I stagger on, regardless.

_But does anyone notice?_

_But does anyone care?_

My watch beeps again. My head practically droops as I look down at my wrist. For a second I thought it would fall off and crash to the ground. It's now 3am. How I am managing to stay awake, never mind walk, is beyond me. However, I have developed a pattern to keep me going. Breathe in, step, breathe out, step. It seems to be working.

_Well, don't I look pretty walking down the street in the best damn dress I own?_

It's well into the morning now. 9am, I think. I can't tell. I can't look down at my watch. I'm unconscious, you see. There's a voice in my head and I can vaguely hear what's going on around me, but I can't do anything. The cold air finally got to me about an hour ago and I passed out. I don't think I'm on a path, because I don't feel gravel beneath me. I can't feel anything beneath me. I feel like I'm floating. I can't hear any voices, just the wind. So I lie here and wait for someone to come along and save me or, in the worst-case scenario, take me from the earth.

"_Bandit, don't run too far from us!"_

Voices. I can hear them. Someone must be nearby!

"_Bandit, get back here!"_

Then…footsteps. Small, fast footsteps. They obviously belonged to a small child. They came closer and closer and then suddenly someone's warm breath was on my face. I could hear the high pitch as they breathed onto me, evidently they were looking at me whilst trying to catch their breath. Then a shrill yell echoed around me.

"MUMMY! DADDY!"

The sound was like a knife cutting into my head. I groaned in pain. The child beside me gasped at my sudden noise and then called again.

"MUMMY! DADDY! THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE! THEY LOOK HURT…I THINK THEY MIGHT'VE BANGED THEIR HEAD!"

Maybe I did. Who knows? More footsteps ran over. This time they sounded more adult-sized. I heard a woman's voice talking to the child.

"Bandit, don't run away from us like that! We were worried si- oh my God."

The woman let out a gasp. Evidently she had just seen my crumpled, barely conscious form lying on the ground. Then _she_ yelled out.

"GERARD, I THINK YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE THIS!"

I groaned again. More footsteps. Another gasp. More voices.

"Oh my…"

"What should we do?"

"Well, we can't just leave her here, that's for sure."

"We could drive to the hospital?"

"The car's getting fixed at the garage. I brought it there this morning."

"Oh Lord. How are we going to help her?"

There was a moment of silence and then the man, who I guessed was called Gerard, spoke again.

"We'll have to take her back to the house. When the car arrives, we can take her to the hospital from then."

"Gee, are you sure?"

"Not completely, but it looks like it's the only option we've got. Come on, help me pick her up."

An arm went under my back and another went under my legs. Then I was in the air, not just floating, but moving. I groaned again. My sore legs were swinging in the air and they ached terribly.

"Don't worry, kiddo, we're going to get you back to our house and get you sorted," said Gerard. "You're in good hands."

"Thank…you…" I managed to mumble. Then I passed out again, this time completely.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was lying down on a sofa in a warm house, staring up into the eyes of my heroes…Gerard Way and Lyn-Z Way. It took me a moment to register their faces, but when I did, I gasped.

"Hey." Lyn-Z murmured.

"Hi." I managed to croak back.

I suppose all this time you've been wondering who the hell I am and why I'm of such importance. Well…I'll tell you.

My name is Starling Goldstead and I am on a mission to become a rock star.


	2. Chapter 2

Yeah, that's right. A fucking rock star. I bet you think that plan has failed. You're not the only one. I'm almost on the verge of giving up. But I'm safe now. I'm in a house with two of the greatest rock stars ever and I have the time and space and people to plan things out carefully. I might still have a chance with this.

So…how did I end up in this mess?

I was with my parents to start with. We all agreed that in order for me to make it big, I had to go somewhere known for making people stars. And that place we chose was New York.

"If I make it there, I'll make it anywhere."

It was decided. We bought the plane tickets and headed off to stardom. Only…that's where we thought we were going. Things took a wrong turn when we touched down at the airport. As we were taking the taxi to the hotel we booked rooms for, the car was hijacked and we were kidnapped. I managed to get away, but my parents weren't. They're still stuck back there. Whether the kidnappers haven't smashed up their mobile phones I have no idea. I've still got mine. If they haven't, they will be hidden. It's the closest contact I now have with them. A hidden mobile phone, guaranteed to be smashed any day now.

When I escaped, I had no idea where to go. I didn't care either; I just wanted it to be as far away from that hellhole as possible. So I ran as far as I could in a random direction. I ended up near a motorway. By then it was far enough away, so I walked the rest of the distance, assuring myself that those evil men wouldn't find me.

And so the story continues and now here I am, momentarily sharing the same house as Gerard, Lyn-Z and Bandit Way. Holy shit.

I slowly sit up, and the pounding in my head slowly disappears.

"You were out for quite a while," Gerard says. "We thought you…weren't going to make it."

"I'm pretty sure I was." I manage to say. "Thanks for saving me."

"No problem." Lyn-Z smiles brightly and Bandit walks into the room.

"Hey." I smile weakly at her."

Bandit stares at me and smiles back.

"Pretty lady is better now!" she grins. I can't help but grin back and I blush.

"I'm getting there…" I murmur.

"Yes, Bandit, the pretty lady is getting better, but she needs to rest now." Gerard says brightly. I blush again. I know it was for the benefit of the kid, but he still called me pretty! He turns to me and smiles. "Get some sleep. You need it."

I nod and lie back down on the sofa. Strangely enough, I fall asleep in an instant.

My dreams are less peaceful.

"No…don't take them…"

Someone laughs evilly. I don't know who. My eyes are covered by some scratchy fabric tied around my head. All I see is black. All I hear haunts me. My parents calm voices - partly reassuring me, partly reassuring themselves.

"We'll be okay, Starling. We'll be back soon."

"Yes, Starling, they will be back…"

I feel like screaming. They won't be back, I can tell. The door closes and someone slowly walks near.

"Keep quiet, little girl. What you hear is all in your head."

A hissing noise and a blood-curdling scream from next door. Mum's scream. I shudder. A hand touches my shoulder. Mum screams again. I shudder again and a tear rolls down my cheek. I hear a gunshot and then I lose it.

"MUM!"

I wake up to the sound of my own voice, screaming in pain for my mum. I curse myself for waking up. I was going to run through the door! I had to know if she was okay. I break down in sobs as I realise I may never know.

Lyn-Z runs into the room.

"I heard you calling! What can I do to help?" she gabbles. However, she stops talking when she saw my sobbing form on the sofa. She breathes out and walks over. She sits down beside me and puts her arm around me. I cry onto her shoulder, my body shaking.

"I was just a dream," she whispers soothingly. "It's nothing to be afraid of."

If only she knew. She stays with me until I've calmed down, stroking my hair and arm. I breathe out shakily and look her in the eye. I smile through my tears.

"Thanks." I say. She smiles, kisses my forehead, and leaves.

I lay back down on the sofa. I'm soothed, but still too afraid to go back to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Lyn-Z P.O.V:**

Gee, Lady B and I were in the middle of having dinner when we heard the muffled cries coming from the living room.

"No…mpmmff…don't take them…"

I turned to look at Gee. He was staring at the living room door with a worried expression on his face. Another muffled sound came out. It was like a cross between a cry and a sob. It sounded strangled.

"Sounds like she's having a pretty bad nightmare." I said. Gee nodded in agreement. "Shall I go and see to her?"

Gee nodded again.

"But go easy. Don't wake her up suddenly. I know how scary it can be when someone does that."

I stood up from my chair and walked towards the door. That's when I heard the pained yell.

"MUM!"

I dashed through the door and into the living room, garbling whatever I could say in order to help.

"I heard you calling! What can I do to help?"

Hmm…so much for helping.

The girl was sat up on the sofa, her body trembling. I could tell instantly by the sounds she was making that she was crying, and pretty darn hard too. Poor thing. I sighed with sympathy and walked over to her. I put my arm around her and let her cry on my shoulder. This is what I always do when Lady B has a nightmare or can't sleep.

"It was just a dream…it's nothing to be afraid of." I whisper in the most soothing voice I can manage.

The girl sighed and looked at me. Her eyes were red and her skin was pale. Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead.

"Thanks." She smiled at me and I smiled back.

I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then got up and left. She's a sweet little thing, but I can't imagine the things she's been through. A little voice at the back of my head tells me that I don't want to, but my heart is assertive that I have to find out.

**Bandit P.O.V:**

I think I like this new stranger in our house. I don't know her well at all, but I really want to. She seems like the kind of lady to have a nice talk to about anything. She's tired and weak, of course. I'm pretty sure that banging your head does that to a person. Anyway, I hope she gets better soon because I like her and we could be really good friends!

**Starling P.O.V:**

I've woken up. It turns out I did manage to get some sleep last night and it was very peaceful too…probably. I'm not entirely sure how I ended up on the floor on the other side of the room, but hey ho, I managed to get some rest.

I pick myself up off the floor and sit on the sofa. I run my fingers through my hair, combing it down. I've got not doubts that there's no point in doing that anyway, because my hair is always a complete rats nest, styled or not.

It takes me a second to realise that I'm still in the same clothes I was the night I was kidnapped. Of course I was! It's not like I could just magically change out of them in the middle of the street or during my sleep. I gaze down at my outfit. My favourite MCR t-shirt, black skinny jeans and studded black Converse. It was my favourite outfit, but considering I've worn it on the night I was captured, it holds too many bad memories to be called that anymore. I sigh. Oh well. That was the least of my problems.

**Gerard P.O.V:**

I'm up surprisingly early this morning. And even more surprisingly, I'm in a very good mood. Strange…considering the events of the night before.

I shrug the thought away and head out the bedroom door and down the stairs. I sing to myself as I make breakfast. I even start dancing as I walk about. Okay, this is very weird. I carry on, regardless. I'm enjoying this very good mood an awful lot.

"Hey! Hey! We are a hurricane; drop our anchors in a storm…"

I finis my breakfast and dance into the living room where the mirror is. I keep singing as I brush my hair.

"Hey! They will never be the same, a fire in a flask to keep us warm…"

A voice from behind me joins in. _Her voice._ Her voice?

"Because they know, I know that they don't look like me…"

I spin around. She's sitting on the sofa, not looking at me, just singing along. I join in again, in a different harmony.

"Because they know, I know, that they don't sound like me…"

She looks up and grins as we belt out the last part together.

"You'll dance to anything. You'll dance to anything!"

I give two quick claps to signal the end of the song. The girl grins again.

"You're really good!" I say after a while.

"A lot of people say that," she replies. "It's kind of why I ended up here in the first place."

**Starling P.O.V:**

Well, I just sang with Gerard Way. Now how's that for a first?

"You're really good!" he exclaimed. I smiled inside.

"A lot of people say that…" I hesitate for a moment, and then I decide to tell him. "It's kind of why I ended up here in the first place."

He looks confused. I take a deep breath in and tell him everything - about my dream, about my parents, about getting kidnapped...everything. By the time I'm finished, I see a small tear roll down his cheek. Wow, I've made him cry…

"So you've been through all of that because you want to be a singer?" he chokes out. I nod.

"Yeah. And I'm going to see it through. I'll make this trip worthwhile and make my parents proud."

He stares at me partly in disbelief and partly in admiration. I almost do a double take. Then he gets up and leaves the room and I'm left to myself and my dreams once again.


End file.
